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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29506800">The Bitch is Back</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/shippasfuxk/pseuds/shippasfuxk'>shippasfuxk</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Legacies (TV 2018)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst, Break Up, F/F, Hope Mikaelson &amp; Penelope Park Friendship, Love, Minor Character Death, Sad with a Happy Ending</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-02-24</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 04:28:23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>14,472</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29506800</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/shippasfuxk/pseuds/shippasfuxk</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Penelope comes back after going to Belgium...unwillingly, and bitchy as ever. She's dealing with a lot, and Caroline is helping her through her losses, but it doesn't help that Josie is with someone else. Her friends in Mystic Falls try their best to help her, but she is hiding her pain from everyone but Caroline.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Hope Mikaelson/Lizzie Saltzman, Jade &amp; Josie Saltzman, Jade/Josie Saltzman, Penelope Park &amp; Josie Saltzman, Penelope Park/Josie Saltzman</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>106</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Okay, Penelope we're here." Caroline looks to Penelope, who has sprawled herself in the backseat of the car. Penelope wipes her eyes and takes her headphones out. "I don't want to fucking be here Caroline." is all she says when she gets out of the car and slams the door behind her. </p>
<p>Caroline sighs, and gets out of the car herself. Penelope has been difficult, but she gets it and she's trying to help her with her grief. But if Penelope was a bitch before, now she's...a monster. The only person she's remotely nice to is Caroline, only because she was with her through the whole thing- Caroline was by her side when they found her mother, at the small family funeral, and when Penelope couldn't sleep for three whole days until she crashed, and Caroline was there for that too.</p>
<p>Penelope demanded that Caroline not tell anyone why they were coming back until they were back. So Caroline listened, but now she's laughing at everyone peeking out the windows to look at them. Penelope did not want to come back to Salvatore, and was planning to grieve by sleeping all day and barely eating until Caroline basically pulled her here by her hair. </p>
<p>"Everyone's staring." Penelope grumbles and pulls her suitcases out of the car, "Should I light them all on fire? I could do it in one second."</p>
<p>"No..no I don't think you should do that. When we get inside you can go right to your own room, okay? You don't have to talk to anyone." Caroline pulls her a quick side hug and kisses Penelope's head. Penelope just sighs and puts her headphones back in, pulling her suitcases behind her. </p>
<p>Caroline follows her up the stairs and inside, and pauses when she sees Alaric reaching out to shake her hand with a look of sympathy. Bad idea. </p>
<p>"How are you, Penelope?" he asks and holds onto her hand.</p>
<p>Caroline speeds up the stairs, "Ric that's not-"</p>
<p>But he's already set Penelope off, "Well for starters, my mother is dead. And apparently she left me in the custody of none other than Caroline Forbes if she were to die. So here I am, back to be a menace to the Salvatore school." she adjusts her bag and walks up the stairs to her old room, past Josie, who's jaw is on the floor, Hope who is just staring as she goes, and Lizzie, who is picking at her nails because she couldn't be bothered that Penelope is back. Jade just stands next to Josie, looking confused as ever.</p>
<p>"So...Penelope is back." Caroline says lamely while her daughters stare at her for an explanation. </p>
<p>"Girls..why don't we talk in the office." Alaric offers up and everyone follows.</p>
<p>Everyone but Jade follows, and Josie kisses her on the cheek before she walks into her father's office. </p>
<p>"Dad, is that why you called us down here?" Josie is asking questions as soon as she sits. </p>
<p>Caroline answers, "Yes. Penelope didn't want anyone to know until we were here, but I had Alaric call you down here so I could tell you."</p>
<p>"Why are you with the she-devil, mother? And what did she say to dad?" Lizzie pipes up, interrupting. </p>
<p>"Elizabeth" Caroline says gently and pats Lizzie's arm, "Please listen to me, it's important." Lizzie nods gently at her mother, and she continues. </p>
<p>"Okay, Penelope's mother died. I'm sure you all know that Penelope never knew her father, and she's an only child, so her mother is all she had." Caroline says and stops to sigh, "And I got to know her mother very well in Belgium, and...I am now Penelope's primary caretaker. So that is why I brought her here." Caroline sits back and looks at everyone's reactions. </p>
<p>Josie looks shocked with a little pout on her face. She's sad for Penelope, of course she is. Penelope used to go on and on about her mother, telling Josie stories and showing her pictures- Penelope even called her mom every day when she was at school, sometimes twice. </p>
<p>Hope is wiping her eyes from the few tears that slipped from her eyes. She knew Penelope's mother, she met her a few times when she saw Penelope over the summer. Lizzie comforts her girlfriend with a soft hand on her back, feeling bad for Penelope herself.</p>
<p>"Well,...what can we do?" Josie asks and Caroline nods, "That's another thing...Penelope is still grieving. The funeral was only a few days ago, and I basically had to drag her back here. But she's also not very, um...pleasant right now. I brought her here to be around you, her friends and hopefully help her get back to herself. Whatever she says, it isn't at you, it's at the world around her-she's mad at the world for taking her mom from her."</p>
<p>"How, um...how did she die?" Hope asks hoarsely, and Caroline looks to the floor "Penelope and I found her, and she had been attacked by a wolf or something, maybe a werewolf. We couldn't tell, but by the time we got there she had died. Another part of Penelope's grief is that she thinks if she had gotten there earlier...she could've saved her."</p>
<p>Hope starts to cry again, quietly, and Josie's head falls to her hands, after a beat she asks "How is she mom, really?" with a whisper and Caroline shakes her head, "Not great, sweetie."</p>
<p>"And girls, Penelope finished that school in Belgium." Alaric speaks up, "so she's really just here for as long as Caroline thinks she should be. Or until she really wants to go. I'm going to offer her a teaching job at some point if that's something she wants."</p>
<p>"She'll probably just be in her room most of the time." Caroline looks to Alaric and back sadly. </p>
<p>Hope nods, "Okay well I'm gonna go, maybe I'll go see her later if you think that's okay, Caroline?" she stands and leaves, Lizzie in tow holding her hand.</p>
<p>Josie gets up to follow them, but Caroline sits next to her and tells her to wait.</p>
<p>"Josie, hold on a sec." Alaric says and she sits down with a puzzled look on her face. Her mom grabs her hand and faces her, "Josie, I wanted to tell you...part of why Penelope didn't want to come back here is because she was upset to see you. And probably upset for you to see her like this. She knows that you are with Jade, and that just makes her more upset. So maybe...give her some extra space, okay?"</p>
<p>"She doesn't want to see me at all?" Josie looks like a kicked puppy. Alaric frowns and sits on Josie's other side, "No, Josie. She's just upset and pushing everyone away, and you might just make her...extra upset."</p>
<p>Josie nods, "Okay...I get it." she says sadly, and gets up to leave.</p>
<p>Jade is sitting outside the office, waiting for her, "How'd it go? What happened?" she hugs her, seeing how upset Josie looks. </p>
<p>"Let's go to my room, I'll tell you." Josie starts to walk up the stairs and Jade follows. </p>
<p>Josie tells Jade about Penelope's mom and why she's back, and Jade listens to the story of her and Penelope.</p>
<p>"I'm just upset she doesn't want to see me." Josie looks down to her hands while Jade rubs her back gently.</p><p>"I know, babe." she says, as if it's a recording.</p><p>"Are you even listening to me?" Josie turns to Jade, who is lying down on her bed.</p><p>"Of course I am Josie!"</p><p>"Well you could say something other than 'okay' and 'babe' every other sentence." Josie stands up and crosses her arms, upset all of a sudden and she can't seem to find a real reason why.</p><p>"What else can I say? She's your ex-girlfriend and you won't stop talking about her!" Jade sits up on the bed, looking pissed off.</p><p>What does she have to be pissed about?</p><p>Josie is sympathetic for a moment, maybe Jade is just jealous- that makes more sense. Jade doesn't get like this. They don't ever fight, like ever; they're the innocent high school couple who don't have problems, and Josie likes that she has no problems for once. She closes the space between them and touches their foreheads, "Is it that you're jealous, baby? That's okay, if you are, but you don't-"</p><p>Jade pushes her away though, and Josie is back to being confused. "I'm not jealous!" she practically screams and Josie steps back, "You know what...it's obvious that you are, actually."</p><p>"Don't I have reason to be? All you've said for the past hour is how worried you are about her!"</p><p>"Jade..." Josie warns, and her girlfriend stands back like she's not giving in. "Jade, you can't be serious. I'm worried about her because I know how important her mother was to her...I would worry this way for anyone who lost their mother." Josie tries to convince her, but Jade shakes her head.</p><p>"No, you wouldn't Josie. I don't even think you would worry that much about me." she says and Josie scoffs, "You aren't even acting like yourself right now. You're acting like you don't even know me! You know what...you should go." Josie turns and hope Jade will just leave.</p><p>"Jo, I'm sorry." Jade tries to hold her from behind, and Josie turns. "Just go, Jade." she whispers and kisses her lips briefly. Her girlfriend nods and kisses Josie once more, shooting a look over her shoulder before she closes the door.</p><p>Josie wasn't lying. For now, Jade has no reason to be jealous. But it's Penelope Park. Josie never thought she'd see her again, so she moved on with Jade. She really likes Jade, she does. Jade is so easy, and she's beautiful, and they never fight, but it's too easy. It's almost boring when she compares their relationship to hers and Penelope's.</p><p>-</p>
<p>An hour later, Caroline goes to see how Penelope is doing and sees her sleeping on a mattress with no sheets, blankets or pillows. She sighs and walks over to her, "Penelope wake up, come on let's get some thinks for your room." </p>
<p>Penelope rolls over, "I don't want to." </p>
<p>"I know, but you're coming with me." Caroline smiles and laughs when Penelope groans. </p>
<p>"You can sleep for the rest of the day when we get back." Caroline bribes her, and Penelope still grumbles around, but agrees. The brunette pulls a sweatshirt over her head and follows Caroline out of her room. </p>
<p>They walk down the halls quietly- Penelope hasn't been very talkative unless Caroline pesters her to speak up. "You can say hi to the people we walk by, you know." Caroline tries and Penelope just scuffs her feet as they walk, "I don't want to." she says and stares at the floor. </p>
<p>"Oh Pen, I'm sorry." Caroline says under her breath and Penelope looks up to see Josie and her little girlfriend walking toward her. </p>
<p>"Well that's fucking great Caroline, why couldn't you just let me sleep." she whispers with extra bite in her tone. </p>
<p>"Penelope-" Josie starts, but Penelope keeps walking, "Josie" she greets and barely looks at her as she passes. </p>
<p>"I'm sorry Josie, I have to go with her- I'll see you later sweetie." Caroline goes after her and leaves Jade staring at Josie. </p>
<p>"Well she's a bitch." Jade says and Josie gives her a stern look.</p><p>"Don't say that. She's grieving right now. She isn't a bitch, and you barely know her."</p>
<p>"Well she could’ve at least said hi to you."</p><p>"Jade, please!" Josie looks at her girlfriend incredulously. "I haven't seen her in months, and her mom just died."</p><p>"Sorry...I know, sorry." Jade grabs Josie's hand while they walk to meet Hope and Lizzie for dinner. "Yeah..." Josie says under her breath.</p><p>"I'm driving" Penelope says and holds her hand out for the keys, and when she sees Caroline falter, she speaks up again, "I'll throw a crying fit and go back to my bed if you don't let me drive."</p><p>"O-kay" Caroline hands her keys over. She wishes Penelope would've at least flashed her a victorious smirk, but she didn't. She just gets in and follows Caroline's directions wordlessly.</p><p>"Black sheets, black comforter." Penelope throws them in the cart and Caroline frowns, "So dark, no colors at all?"</p><p>"Same as my soul" is what Penelope says over her shoulder, walking away from Caroline down the aisle.</p><p>Caroline chuckles and follows her. At least Penelope's sense of humor is somewhere in there.</p><p>"Penelope what else do you want for your room?" Caroline calls after Penelope while she looks at the pictures. Penelope returns with a circular mirror, and puts it in the cart, "That's it." she says and Caroline just stares blankly at her, "Penelope, we've barely even seen the whole store, and you're done?"</p><p>"Yes."</p><p>"An all black room with just a mirror. Are you just gonna sit in the dark all the time?"</p><p>"That's the plan, Care, keep up. Can we go now?"</p><p>"Yea I guess so, do you want to stop for dinner?" Caroline caves and just plans on getting things for Penelope's room herself.</p><p>"No, I can grab something at school."</p><p>"Okay" Caroline pulls her into a little hug again, the one thing Penelope will actually accept.</p><p>After she made Penelope eat, put her room together, and made sure Penelope was sleeping, Caroline was finally asleep. That is until her door opened in the middle of the night and she woke up.</p><p>"Caroline?" a little voice calls out from the hall, and she knows its Penelope. She pulls up her covers, "Come in, Pen. Can't sleep again?" Penelope tip-toes across the floor and climbs in next to her, "I couldn't sleep. I thought I was over it." she mumbles, wiping at her eyes, and Caroline hums sympathetically, tucking Penelope under the covers. "It's okay, sweetheart" she pushes Penelope's hands from her face and pulls her closer to her.</p><p>This happened a lot in the week following her mother's passing. Caroline would check on her and check on her, but she would still wake up in the middle of the night and crawl into bed with her. Caroline kind of feels like she has a kid to look after-which, technically she does, just a new, 18 year old one. She stays up until she's sure Penelope is asleep again, and relaxes into sleep when she hears her light snores next to her.</p><p>But of course, she's woken up by her actual daughter in the morning, with not nearly enough sleep.</p><p>"Mom?" she knows its Josie who knocked on her door, and throws on a robe to meet her in the hall.</p><p>"Jo, what time is it? Are you alright?"</p><p>"Yeah, yeah I'm okay, but Hope said she went to check on Penelope this morning and she's not there. Does she usually get up early now? Because she didn't do that before-"</p><p>Caroline smiles at her daughter's worry, "Josie she's okay, come look." she opens her door a crack and Josie peeks in, "Oh." Josie closes the door quietly and looks back to her mother, "Why is she with you?" Caroline smiles sweetly and cocks her head to the side, "She couldn't sleep, sometimes she just needs to be with me. It happened a lot before, and she's kind of shy about it so don't tell anyone. Why don't me and you get some dinner later?" Caroline pulls Josie in for a hug.</p><p>Josie nods, "Yes please! And of course I won't tell anyone. Do you- never mind, I'll see you later."</p><p>"What is it Josie?"</p><p>"Do you think she'll ever want to see me?" Josie says in a rushed whisper.</p><p>Of course she will, Jo. I just think she wants to see you...when Jade isn't around, and that doesn't mean she doesn't like her, Josie. Just give her some time and I bet she'll come find you." Josie nods, "Okay." and she walks to breakfast in her pajamas.</p><p>"Hey babe. Where were you? I went to your room this morning and you weren't there." Jade asks as soon as she sits down, pressing a quick kiss to her cheek.</p><p>"I went to see my mom really quick" Josie says and sips her coffee. Jade just hums and keeps eating her breakfast.</p><p>"Oh shit, I gotta go get ready for class. I'll see you later, Josie." Jade gets up and practically runs up to her room.</p><p>"What'd you do, tell her there was a blood party upstairs?" a familiar voice calls from behind her and Josie turns to Penelope Park walking by. She snorts, because that was kind of funny, and looks at Penelope. There's no smirk on her face after that comment, no teasing eye brow raise, not even a flash of those gorgeous green eyes. Penelope doesn't even stop to look at her, she's already in line for breakfast.</p><p>Josie hopes she can help get her back.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Penelope is in her room watching random TV with the lights off, under her covers when Caroline opens her door. The blonde sighs and starts picking up her clothes up off the floor, folding them and putting them back in her drawers. "I'm going to ignore the complete darkness situation and just tell you what I'm here to tell you."</p>
<p>"You're blocking the TV." Penelope grumbles and Caroline just keeps picking up her room. </p>
<p>"Yeah, you're welcome for the TV by the way. Anyway I'm going out to dinner with Josie so call me if you need me, okay."  </p>
<p>Penelope just grunts and tries to wave Caroline out of her spot that's blocking the TV, "Penelope" she calls out and the girl finally looks at her, she has bags under her eyes and she looks like she could kind of use a shower.</p>
<p>"Okay I'll call you if I need you, but I'll be here the whole time anyway." Penelope says and pulls the covers back over herself and curls up; the only light in the room coming from under the door or from Penelope's phone in front of her face. "I'm going now Penelope, okay?" Caroline stands by the door and waits for Penelope to say something back, but she doesn't. So she walks over and brushes her hair away from her face to kiss her on the head.</p>
<p>"I'll be back in two hours, maybe consider a shower while I'm gone." Caroline smirks, baiting Penelope to say something sarcastic back.</p>
<p>"Okay" Penelope says kind of glumly, looking up at her through glossy eyes. Caroline pats her cheek, "Okay. I'm leaving." and Penelope nods. </p>
<p>Caroline sighs as soon as she closes the door behind her, that was rough. Josie is waiting for her in the lobby, sitting in a chair and looking at her phone. </p>
<p>"That took a while" Josie says as she stands, and Caroline nods, "Yeah, I just wanted to make sure she was okay."</p>
<p>"And is she?" Josie passes the door behind her and asks, "She's...sitting in bed, watching TV and sleeping. So she's fine." Caroline rubs her back and Josie nods, "good."</p>
<p>"We can talk more about that later, for now tell me how you're doing. I haven't had much time to call my girls, busy looking out for Penelope." Caroline bumps her hip lightly, "Tell me about Jade." she watches Josie smile at the ground while they get in the car.</p>
<p>Over dinner Caroline tries not to talk about Penelope too much, but Josie just keeps asking. </p>
<p>"I just want to know about. her." Josie justifies and Caroline hums, she knows a crush on an ex when she sees one. </p>
<p>"Right. Well, Penelope is a very powerful witch now. Even more than before, that school in Belgium taught her pretty much every spell in existence plus she graduated early. So she is very talented...but she hasn't used her magic since her mom."</p>
<p>Josie frowns, "I'm sure she'll get back to it when she feels better." she takes a bite of her salad, which Caroline teased her for ordering. </p>
<p>"Has she...seen anyone over there?" Josie asks, looking at her food. </p>
<p>Caroline smiles and laughs, "Josie, come on." Her daughter opens her mouth to respond, and she holds her finger up, "And don't say that it's because you want to 'know how she is'." Caroline uses air quotes and Josie shakes her head with a smile.</p>
<p>"Mom stop." She pouts, "I really just want to know."</p>
<p>"Jo, you want to know if she moved on with anyone else, you can just say that." Caroline raises her eyebrows at her, and Josie blushes, "I can actually recall you saying that no one could compare to Penelope, ever. That still true?" </p>
<p>Josie falters under her mother's words, "Are you not gonna tell me until I say it?" and Caroline gives her a knowing look until she gives it up, "Fine. I want to know if Penelope moved on from me." Josie crosses her arms and admits it, and Caroline nods. </p>
<p>"Good, now we're being honest. Anyway, no she didn't move on with anyone else- not that she didn't have any takers." Caroline winks and takes another bite of her food. Josie just nods and thinks across the table. "Anyway, can you tell me about Hope and Lizzie? Because Lizzie never tells me anything about her; she just hangs up on me when I ask."</p>
<p>Josie laughs and wishes she could hide things from her mom as easily as Lizzie, but she's tried, and her mom knows her too well. Caroline could see right through her hiding her real feelings deep down. For now, Josie doesn't really know what she wants-somewhere inside her, she knows that Jade was always just a replacement for Penelope, but she never thought Penelope would be back so soon. </p>
<p>She tells her mom about Lizzie and Hope, grateful for the subject change, "So they hated each other for a long time, you know that..but after Miss Mystic Falls, they started being friends, and then I caught then making out in Lizzie's room."</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Penelope wanders down to the kitchen later and digs through the cabinets for some good food, but while her back is turned Lizzie and Hope creep up behind her. She hears them whisper and turns around to face them with an angry look on her face.</p>
<p>"Did you just use a fucking boundary spell to trap me in here?" she turns and raises her voice, causing Lizzie to flinch.</p>
<p>Hope just steps up to her, "Penelope we just wanted to see you, you never leave your room." she says gently and Lizzie nods from behind her. </p>
<p>"I don't need this. If you wanted to see me you could've asked." Penelope grabs a bag of Doritos from the cabinet and unseals the room with the flick of her wrist, using a non verbal spell. Lizzie and Hope just watch her walk by them and out the door, shocked. </p>
<p>"What the hell" Hope just stares at the door. </p>
<p>"Satan's magic evolved." Lizzie says, and they look at each other and then back to the door. </p>
<p>"Caroline is going to be pissed at us." Hope says and Lizzie sucks in a breath, "So pissed. That...wasn't the best idea we've ever had."</p>
<p>"How the hell did she do that though? A non-verbal spell? That's impressive" Hope hums and sits up on the counter. </p>
<p>"Yeah, maybe she does deserve a teaching job." Lizzie smirks and walks closer to Hope, "you wanna make out before my mom kills us?"</p>
<p>Penelope hates how Hope and Lizzie were looking at her; like she was broken and needed their sympathy, so she walks back to her room and opens the bag of chips on the way. She sighs and starts up the stairs, stopping when she hears someone call after her. </p>
<p>"Hey!" she doesn't recognize the voice right away and turns around halfway up the stairs. Of course it's Josie's little girlfriend, Jade. Great. Remind her to never leave her room again. </p>
<p>She just rolls her eyes and keeps walking, she does not want to deal with this right now. "I'm talking to you." the vampire speeds up and stops in front of her. Penelope rolls her eyes and looks up at her, "Well if it isn't the Salvatore ripper."</p>
<p>"You know nothing about me." Jade says and Penelope sighs, a genuine smirk crossing her face because she's actually feeling real joy at annoying Jade, "Actually, I hate to break it to you, but I know everything about you. In reality, you know nothing about me." Penelope pokes Jade's chest and steps up, making Jade step back. </p>
<p>Jade scoffs and crosses her arms, "Who cares? Nobody at this school likes you, anyway."</p>
<p>"I don't need this." Penelope turns around and walks back down the stairs, deciding she doesn't really want to get in a fight with this Jade bitch right now. </p>
<p>Jade follows her down the stairs, though, and Penelope rolls her eyes, "Well I have something to say to you."</p>
<p>"Dude, either spit it out already, or get the fuck out of my way." Penelope snaps, pushing Jade out of her space by her shoulder. "Get your hands off me!" Jade yells and pushes Penelope back. </p>
<p>Penelope just turns and walks away, "Seriously...just stop, Jade. I don't have the energy to do this with you, and I don't care what you have to say to me." Penelope tries to pass her, but Jade speeds at her so she uses a telekinesis spell and sends her flying back and landing on her ass. Penelope chuckles at the look on her face.</p>
<p>Jade gets up and runs at her again, all vamped out, and pushes Penelope against the wall. </p>
<p>Penelope smirks, "What are you gonna do, huh? Rip my head off?" Go ahead, ripper, take a bite." she teases and Jade hovers over her neck. </p>
<p>Just as Jade is about to bite her, Hope runs in and pushes her out of the way. "Jade!" she grabs her by the shoulders and shakes her out of it, pushing her back into another room, probably to yell at her. </p>
<p>Lizzie walks up next to her, "She didn't get you, did she?" she asks, oddly concerned, and Penelope shakes her head. "Good." Lizzie slaps her on the back, "Wouldn't want the dark lord to die so soon." </p>
<p>Penelope scoffs, actually chuckling at Lizzie, "Right, well thanks for pretending to care Liz." she says and shuffles back up the stairs, picking up her chips on the way. Lizzie watches her go with a puzzled look, Penelope barely looked at her, and didn't even react when she called her the dark lord...that usually sets her off. </p>
<p>She hears Hope practically screaming at Jade in the classroom, and she's grateful to know she picked a reasonable girlfriend. She can't say the same for Josie. </p>
<p>Jade stomps out of the room and slams the door behind her, and Lizzie and Hope wait for Caroline and Josie to get back so they can tell them, "I heard the whole thing, Lizzie. I'll tell Caroline..but who knows what Josie will think." </p>
<p>Lizzie hums and rests her head on Hope's shoulder, "I feel bad for Penelope. Jade was way out of line."</p>
<p>"Yeah" Hope agrees and grasps Lizzie's hand and pulls it onto her lap.</p>
<p>Caroline and Josie get back shortly later, and Lizzie shoots up, "Mommy, I have something to tell you." she says sweetly and Caroline laughs, "What is it Liz?"</p>
<p>"Its...not good." </p>
<p>-</p>
<p>"Jade tried to feed on her?!" Caroline interrupts Lizzie, who nods. </p>
<p>Josie stares for a second, "What!? Are you serious?"</p>
<p>"I heard the whole thing, Jo. She tried to confront Penelope about something, and Penelope tried to walk away but Jade wouldn't give it up." Hope says and Josie sighs. </p>
<p>"Great. I'm going to find her, then." Josie gets up, clearly worked up about it already. </p>
<p>Caroline kicks her feet up on Alaric's desk, "Well now that Josie's gone, I gotta say I had a bad feeling about Jade." </p>
<p>Lizzie scoffs, "Yeah, no kidding. I mean, she's nice to Josie and all that, but I heard them fighting the other day about Penelope already. Jade kind of hates her for no reason." </p>
<p>Caroline hums, "Well I should go make sure Penelope isn't still pissed."</p>
<p>As she walks up the stairs, she runs into Jade. "Jade? I thought Josie was going to find you- I mean I'm pretty sure she's looking for you...yeah, probably in her room, or something." Caroline is confused and stumbles over her lie until she realizes 'her' wasn't Jade...it was Penelope.</p>
<p>Jade gives her a weird look, "Thanks, I'll go find her."</p>
<p>While Jade goes to find Josie in her room, Caroline can already hear her knocking on Penelope's door. </p>
<p>Josie knocks on Penelope's door, and hears her groan when she gets up. She whips the door open, "Care, I am really not in the mood right now I- oh...Josie, hey. Here to see if your little ripper caught a bite?"</p>
<p>"Penelope please don't talk bad about her. You know I'm with her- it's hard enough for me to come see on you when I know she'll be mad." </p>
<p>"You know what Josie, if it's oh-so hard for you, then don't bother. I don't want your pity." Josie moves to close the door, but Penelope stops it, "No, seriously Josie. And tell Caroline to not bother either." and she closes the door on Josie. </p>
<p>Josie sighs, that didn't go as well as she had hoped. Even worse, now she has to go find her girlfriend, who literally attempted murder on her ex-girlfriend no longer than an hour ago. Her mom walks up to Penelope's door then. "Did you hear that?" </p>
<p>"Yeah, it's okay sweetie. Come here." she pulls Josie into a hug, "She said I shouldn't bother, huh." </p>
<p>"Yeah." Josie breathes out, "Anyway I have to go find Jade." Josie pouts, slouching and tired. </p>
<p>When Josie is gone, Caroline swings the door open. </p>
<p>"Penelope, come out wherever you are" she calls out, not seeing Penelope anywhere in her room, until she sees an open window. </p>
<p>Thankfully she's a vampire and can risk climbing on the roof for Penelope Park. </p>
<p>Penelope sees her climbing up next to her and throws her head back, where Caroline spots a joint hanging from her lips, "I knew I should’ve closed the window." she says and she...laughs. </p>
<p>"Penelope Park are you high right now?" Caroline scoffs and Penelope hums. "High off the ground or highly intoxicated? Because, yes."</p>
<p>Caroline just sits next to her and laughs, as happy she is that Penelope is smiling and outside of her room, she still worries for her, "Well I'll just sit here so you don't fall off the roof."</p>
<p>"'kay" Penelope nods and takes another hit.</p>
<p>"You can't tell Josie or Lizzie. Or Alaric."</p>
<p>"I won't." she says. </p>
<p>They watch the sunset, and eventually Penelope turns to Caroline. </p>
<p>"I miss my mom." she says and Caroline wraps her arm around Penelope's shoulders and pulling her in closely, "I know, Pen, it's okay to miss her."</p>
<p>Penelope turns her head and tries to keep her tears at bay, but after a minute of trying, she gives up and starts to quietly sob into Caroline's shoulder. "It's okay Penelope, come on let's go back inside." The girl nods into Caroline's shoulder, and slowly climbs down the roof and back into her room, "My mom used to love sunsets, you know." Penelope whispers, keeping her eyes on the sunset until its dark and she can't see the sun anymore. </p>
<p>Caroline watches her carefully while she cleans up her room for her, "I bet she's watching it with you." she says quietly and Penelope hums, "bet she'd be mad I had to smoke and ruin it", she jokes and climbs into her bed. Caroline crosses the room and sits next to her, "I'm sure she doesn't think you ruined anything, Penelope. You're just dealing with your grief how you need to."</p>
<p>Penelope's lip quivers and tears start to fall, "I never want to disappoint her." </p>
<p>"I know Penelope, I know. Come here." she opens her arms and Penelope falls into them once again, crying. Caroline holds her until her tears stop and she's just upset; when she finally manages her tears, Penelope falls to her bed with dry eyes and rolls over.</p>
<p>"Plus, bitchy Jade hates me for no reason." she pouts and tucks herself under the covers. Caroline reaches over fixes the blanket. </p>
<p>"Penelope...she's jealous of you." Caroline whispers with a breathy chuckle. Penelope just grumbles, "Whatever. I'm actually tired for once, I guess all the sobbing over my dead mom will do that. Goodnight Care."</p>
<p>"Goodnight, Penelope." Caroline says and turns off the lights. Penelope is just not having a good day today.</p>
<p>-</p>
<p>Josie and Jade barely talked about the situation earlier. Josie kind of just chose to ignore it, and Jade was left on edge, waiting for a fight.</p>
<p>"Josie...I think that maybe we should take a break." Jade says from next to Josie in bed, and Josie turns to her with a puzzled look. </p>
<p>"A break? What- Jade, why? What did I do?" Josie drops her book and turns to face her. </p>
<p>"It isn't anything you did, Josie. It's just...Penelope is back and-"</p>
<p>"Jade, please don't let Penelope being back make you think..." Josie stops when Jade grabs her hand. </p>
<p>"Let me say it, Jo. From the way you talked about Penelope, I always knew I couldn't really compare to her if she ever came back. She makes me...outrageously jealous" she laughs self-deprecatingly, "And she needs you now, more than I do. So I'm going to go find my family, wherever they might be in the world, and maybe I'll come back someday, but...I think we're over." Jade says, looking at Josie the whole time.</p>
<p>"You really mean that?" Josie squeezes Jade's hand in hers, and Jade nods. "I'm sure, Josie. You love Penelope."</p>
<p>Jade stands and kisses Josie's cheek briefly before she gets up and leaves, "Bye, Josie." She turns back to Josie with tears in her eyes, and Josie doesn't know what she's supposed to think.</p>
<p>"Bye" Josie says back quietly, kind of in shock, unsure if Jade even heard her. What is it with her and goodbyes? It's like she can't speak whenever someone is leaving her. She sits and waits for the tears to come, but they don't, and she feels bad, like she hurt Jade by accident, but she doesn't cry. Not like she did when Penelope left...not even close.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>For the next few days, Josie doesn't see much of Penelope. She's doesn't know what to say to her anyway, but she really wants to be there for her. She doesn't know what to do if she does see Penelope is being stubborn and doesn't want anyone's help or sympathy except Caroline's, and that's still pushing it.</p><p>"Jade broke up with me and left." Josie says over lunch with Lizzie and Hope and watches their eyes bulge. </p><p>"Woah" Hope mumbles and Lizzie shrugs, "So what are you going to do now? You're like, okay right?"</p><p>"Yeah I'm actually fine." Josie tosses a chip in her mouth, "but I don't know what to do about Penelope." she sighs.</p><p>"Nobody does. MG said she threw a book at him when he tried to see her the other day." Hope says and Josie nods, "I don't know if she'll do the same to me."</p><p>"You'll never know if you never try, Josie." Lizzie says and Josie shrugs, "I'll talk to mom and see what she thinks."</p><p>"Yeah" Lizzie agrees, "Anyway, I can't believe none of Penelope's posse have tried to see her, shows you what kind of friends they are."</p><p>Hope nods, "I heard Meghan talking about her the other day, she said they were going to let her grieve on her own."</p><p>"They suck" Josie says from across the table, "I don't think they ever really cared about her."</p><p>Josie goes to Penelope's room after lunch and knocks on the door, the only response she receives is a resounding "NO" from the other side of the door. But she opens the door anyway. Penelope sits up from her bed and groans right away, "Josie no, just leave me alone." she grumbles and Josie just closes the door behind her. </p><p>"I just wanted to talk to you for a second, Penelope." she says and sits next to Penelope on her bed, rolling her eyes when she turns the other way. Josie sighs, "Penelope, please." she pulls Penelope back over so the girl is looking up at her, lying on her back.</p><p>"I'm telling you that I don't care how many times you tell me to leave, I'm not leaving you alone." Penelope shifts to roll back over but Josie grabs her face to make her look at her, "I'm here for you always, whenever you finally decide to talk to me." </p><p>"Fine" Penelope snaps and Josie chuckles softly. It's funny that Penelope thinks she can scare Josie off with a few comments. Before they got together in the first place, Penelope teased Josie relentlessly, but Josie knows who she really is deep down; she's kind and loving despite denying it constantly. Even after they broke up and Penelope was leaving, she never really meant any of the insults she shot at Josie.</p><p>"You can't scare me off, Penelope." Josie says and Penelope pushes her hand away, "Guess I'll have to try a new strategy on you then." Penelope closes her eyes and gets comfortable, "I can't wait." Josie smirks, "I'll be back tomorrow...or maybe tonight." she says and stands up. Penelope grumbles as Josie leaves. </p><p>-</p><p>True to her word, the next morning Josie shows up in Penelope's room bright and early, or at least early for Penelope.</p><p>Josie flicks the lights on and opens the shades, finally bringing some light into the dungeon Penelope's been hiding herself away in. Last night she decided she would just show up and do her homework in Penelope's room to keep her company, even if it annoys her. </p><p>After a few minutes, Penelope sits up and squints at the light, "What the fuck!" she yells and Josie hums, "sorry."</p><p>"What are you doing in here" Penelope tugs the blanket over her head to block the light, and Josie pulls it back down. "Stop it Josie!" she calls as she loses grip of the blanket. </p><p>Josie pulls the blanket to the edge of the bed and grabs a t-shirt to give to Penelope. "C'mon, you should change. You wore that all day yesterday." Penelope just tosses the shirt back at Josie and crosses her arms. </p><p>"You're making me do this, Pen." Josie warns and Penelope rolls her eyes, keeping her arms crossed. Josie sighs, moves Penelope's arms out of the way and tugs the shirt over her head and pauses when she sees Penelope's body, "Pen, you're so thin...you need to eat." she says and pulls the clean shirt over her head. </p><p>Penelope sighs softly when Josie gets up and goes back to her desk to grab a book, passing Penelope a copy of Little Women wordlessly. Josie pays attention to Penelope carefully, listening as she breathes out heavily and flips through the book. She said her mom used to read it to her when she was little. </p><p>Penelope quietly flips through the book, tearing up at the memory of her mother reading this to her when she was young and couldn't sleep. She's shocked that Josie would even remember something so small, that she probably only shared with her once. </p><p>The rest of the morning consists of Penelope flipping through the book, and Josie quietly completing her work. She wonders what Penelope is thinking right now, she's been so quiet lately, and Josie can't really tell how she feels anymore because of how distant she is. Josie has to leave for class, and is happy to see Penelope doing something other than sleeping or watching shitty TV in the dark.</p><p>That night, Josie brings food up to Penelope's room- some of her favorites. Not much, but maybe Penelope will actually eat it. Josie's heart breaks at the sight of Penelope as she enters the room; she's sitting up with her pillows behind her, tears streaking down her face, looking weak and tired. </p><p>"No, Josie. I don't want to" she says and Josie puts the food at the bedside table and sits next to her. </p><p>"C'mere" Josie pulls Penelope into her arms, shocked at how limp her body feels on top of hers. Penelope breathes out shakily and Josie can feel it, pleasantly surprised that Penelope is seeking comfort in her when her hand grabs at her shirt and pulls her closer. Josie holds her tight, one hand cupping the back of her head and brushing through her hair and the other rubbing her back.</p><p>Penelope pushes away when her breathing is steady, and falls back onto the pillows behind her. Josie scoots closer to her and thumbs her last few tears away, "I'm here, Penelope. I'm not going anywhere." she whispers and Penelope nods, her lip quivering. "Your eyes are so red" Josie observes, "because you've been crying, or smoking?" she asks gently, her hand still brushing Penelope's cheek. The girl shakes her head, "I'm sorry" she mumbles with tears in her eyes. </p><p>"It's okay Penelope. I'm not here to scold you, I'm here to help you." Josie holds Penelope's face between her hands, "whatever you need, but for now you have to eat something."</p><p>Penelope pouts and shakes her head and Josie pulls her into her side, making her sit up. She feeds her soup with a spoon, pushing a water bottle up to her lips in between spoonfuls. Eventually Penelope starts eating on her own and Josie just wipes her lips when soup dribbles down. </p><p>Caroline comes up to check on Penelope for the night, and is shocked to see her accepting Josie's help. She always had a feeling Josie would be the one to break through to Penelope. </p><p>"I'm gonna bring this downstairs." Josie stands and Penelope grabs at her arm, "Will you come back?" she asks and Josie sees the pleading in her eyes, "I'll be right back." she promises.</p><p>-</p><p>Josie spends her day off with Hope and Lizzie in Mystic Falls, third wheeling. Lizzie is busy shopping until she drops and Hope is struggling to put up with it.</p><p>"Jo, where were you last night? I didn't hear you come in." Lizzie asks while she looks through a rack of clothes.</p><p>"I...stayed with Penelope last night, she asked me to." Josie flushes and Hope looks up at her in shock, "no shit did you really? She asked you to?"</p><p>"Mhm, she's actually being...better? I guess, I mean she didn't try to banish me from her room." Josie says and Lizzie turns.</p><p>"Does Penelope being nicer now mean that I can't call her satan anymore? She does still have her satan-like qualities..." Lizzie says and Josie and Hope answer with a simultaneous "no, Lizzie."</p><p>"Whatever, anyway do you like this shirt?"</p><p>"Love it, babe." Hope mumbles, looking at her phone.</p><p>"Hope! You didn't even look..." Lizzie pouts and Hope kisses her cheek. Josie rolls her eyes.</p><p>Once they finally drag Lizzie away from shopping and across the street to the Grill, she levels Josie with a serious look, "So Jo, be honest with us here...do you and Penelope still have a thing going on?"</p><p>Josie scoffs, Lizzie never referred to her year-long relationship with Penelope as anything other than a 'thing', pretty much only because she never liked them together. Even before they started dating, Penelope and Lizzie got on each other's nerves; which made it that much worse when Josie started dating her.</p><p>"If by 'thing' you mean relationship, then no not right now. Maybe we can get back to that but I just broke up with Jade and she's in a rough place." Josie explains and Lizzie grunts.</p><p>"I still haven't been able to talk to her" Hope kind of pouts, mostly just looking upset. Lizzie is left wondering how everyone she loves ended up caring for Penelope Park, of all witches.</p><p>"I'm sure you will, Hope. She's not even that talkative with me, honestly- she just grunts instead of actually talking." Josie jokes and Lizzie comforts Hope with a hand on her leg.</p><p>"I think mom is with her now, she said she wanted to get her to meet with Emma." Lizzie says and Josie breathes in, "Yikes."</p><p>-</p><p>"Penelope are you sure you don't want to at least try it? I can go with you or you can go by yourself...but it could be good for you." Caroline tries to convince Penelope to meet with Emma over lunch in the dining hall.</p><p>The brunette shrugs from across the table, "I'm good." she mumbles through her sandwhich, and Caroline is simultaneously happy Penelope has an appetite and annoyed she won't try at least one therapy session.</p><p>"Caroline, I'm not gonna fucking kill myself or anything. I'm working through it, I'm just- I'm doing it on my own." Penelope argues and Caroline sighs, "It just might be good to talk to someone about how you're feeling."</p><p>"I have you to talk to, and...Josie." Penelope says and Caroline raises her eyebrows, surprised that Penelope accepted Josie's help so quick.</p><p>"Okay. So what do you think about the teaching job, then?" Caroline suggests and Penelope picks at her plate, "I don't know...what grade?"</p><p>"The lower school, probably little kids. You could just do a simple spells class, they would love you, Pen." Caroline says and Penelope nods, "yeah, that sounds like it could actually be fun."</p><p>"You think? Really?" Caroline gets overly excited and Penelope rolls her eyes.</p><p>-</p><p>Josie gets back to school and her first instinct is to find Penelope, but she doesn't have enough time before she has to tutor one of the younger witches in the library after her father asked her last minute.</p><p>Hours later, with barely any progress being made on her student, Josie finally leaves the library. It's probably too late to check on Penelope now, and she hopes she doesn't think Josie is ignoring her or something.</p><p>"Mom?" she calls outside of the office and nudges the door open, "Hey, Jo. What's up." Caroline calls, looking up from the paperwork spread across the room.</p><p>"Just wanted to know if Penelope is asleep already." Josie asks, "I was going to look for her but it's late."</p><p>"Yeah, she's asleep. Has been for hours, but she had a pretty good day today and ate some lunch." Caroline says and Josie nods, "That's good...okay well I just wanted to see. Goodnight Mom." she says and closes the door behind her.</p><p>She hadn't realized it was raining until she was startled by a crack of thunder outside, and she's reminded that Penelope never liked thunderstorms. She doesn't see Lizzie when she gets back and assumes she's staying with Hope tonight.</p><p>Josie had just gotten in bed when she hears a gentle knock on the door, and she gets up confused. Could it be that Lizzie forgot her key? She thinks that must be the case, until she opens the door to a shy, sleepy, Penelope Park on her doorstep.</p><p>"Hey, I thought you were asleep already." Josie says quietly and Penelope nods, "I was, but you know I don't-"</p><p>"Like thunderstorms, yeah I know." Josie finishes her sentence and Penelope peeks in the room, "Is, um Lizzie here?"</p><p>Josie shakes her head, "No" and Penelope rocks back on her feet, "Can I stay with you tonight?" she whispers and Josie can't help but smile. "Yeah, come on." She turns the light off again and Penelope follows her in.</p><p>"Your room looks different." she says and Josie hums, "Yeah, I changed some things around." Josie gets into bed and lifts the blanket up for Penelope to get in next to her. Penelope lies down next to her and snuggles up to her side. Josie rolls over on her side to hold Penelope in her arms, and presses a long kiss to her forehead.</p><p>"I missed you JoJo." Penelope whispers into her chest, and Josie's heart flutters at the use of the nickname she hadn't heard since Penelope left.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Just as Josie thought she was getting closer to Penelope, she pulls back and everyone is wondering where she went.</p>
          </blockquote><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>This is a little longer than the last few, hope you like it</p></blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Did...I just see Penelope leaving our room?" LIzzie hops into bed next to her sister and Josie nods, "Yup. She doesn't like storms, so she came here last night."</p><p>"Huh" Lizzie quirks an eyebrow, "Well that's good, right...that she's looking for your help?"</p><p>Josie smiles slowly, "Did I just hear you caring about Penelope's feelings?"</p><p>"No! Just...if I were to care, that's what I might think." Lizzie shrugs and gets into her own bed. </p><p>"What? Didn't sleep much last night?" Josie teases and Lizzie blushes, "Shut up, Jo."</p><p>They spend the morning being lazy; Lizzie takes a nap, and Josie messes around on her phone. </p><p>In the late afternoon, Caroline looks around for Penelope but can't find her. "Josie, have you seen Penelope today?" Caroline peeks into the room and Josie looks up from her bed with a puzzled look.</p><p>"She stayed with me last night, but I haven't seen her since. Why?" she sits up and Caroline leans against the door, "She's just not in her room or anywhere around, but I'm sure she'll turn up."</p><p>"Okay...well I'll keep an eye out then. Does she have her phone on her?" Josie asks and Caroline frowns, "No, it was in her room. I'll find you if I can't get a hold of her." Caroline gets up to turn, but pauses, "What's up with Liz?" she points to Lizzie, who's in bed with pillows over her head. </p><p>"She..um, she couldn't sleep last night." Josie scratches her head and Caroline chuckles, "You expect me to believe that Penelope slept here while Lizzie was in here? Please, you are the worst liar, Jo." Caroline walks off with a chuckle and Josie pouts; she thought she had gotten better at lying. </p><p>Now she's worried about Penelope though; maybe she had done too much too soon and scared Penelope off. She gets up and decides to go to the few places Penelope might be; the garden, the greenhouse, the Old Mill, even the corner of the library she had cloaked for studying (and impromptu make-outs), but she had no luck. By now, it's four o'clock and getting kind of dark out.</p><p>She gets back to her room and shakes Lizzie awake, "Lizzie, Penelope is missing. Come on let's find Hope and do a tracking spell." she pulls Lizzie up and pulls her to Hope's room upstairs. </p><p>Hope is painting when Josie pushes the door open and she nearly drops her palette when the door flies open. "Hope, we need to do a tracking spell on Penelope, my mom doesn't know where she is." she talks quickly, and Lizzie just jumps onto her bed.</p><p>"How long has she been gone?" Hope asks and places her palette down to sit with Lizzie on her bed. </p><p>"A few hours, probably since this morning. She was with me last night." Josie is already opening a map on the floor and pulling a picture of her and Penelope out of her wallet. "Come on, Hope" she waves Hope over and finds a pair of scissors to cut her palm with, dripping her blood on the photo.</p><p>Hope sits across from Josie and takes her hand, chanting the spell with her repeatedly, waiting for her blood to move, but it never does. </p><p>"Why won't it work?" Josie sits back with sigh and gets up to find a book on Hope's shelf. "Should we try a different locator spell?" she mumbles while she looks through the shelves.</p><p>"Josie come on, I'll try a different spell. I have one of her old shirts we can use to try and locate her." Hope opens her closet and digs around until she finds a shirt that belongs to Penelope. She moves the other map and pulls another off of her desk, "I should be able to see where she is with this." she says and starts to chant, "Permisso Laca Tha Tar. Permisso Laca Tha Tar. Permisso Laca Tha Tar." She closes her eyes tightly and waits to see something, but it never comes to her.</p><p>Hope stands up with a confused look on her face, "It didn't work...how could neither of those work?" she paces and Josie sighs.</p><p>"She probably used a cloaking spell" Lizzie pipes up from the bed and Josie sighs, "We can't undo that, can we?" she sits back on the floor and Hope nods. </p><p>"Maybe she just needed some time to herself." Hope says and sits next to Lizzie on the bed. Josie just groans and stomps out of the room, slamming the door behind her.  </p><p>Lizzie sighs, "I'm sure my mom will find her, babe." she tries to comfort Hope with a kiss, and Hope pulls back, "Suddenly you care where Penelope Park disappears to?" she smirks. </p><p>"Why is it so hard for everyone to believe I might be kind of nice!" Lizzie crosses her arms and pouts, "Sorry Liz, you are being surprisingly nice, though."</p><p>"You and Josie care about her, so I kind of do too." she shrugs and Hope pulls her in for a hug. </p><p>-</p><p>"Mom?" Josie knocks on her mother's door and Caroline calls her in.</p><p>"Hey, Josie. I'm on hold with The Grill to see if Penelope's there. I feel like a helicopter parent." Caroline holds the phone away from her ear and chuckles. </p><p>Josie smiles, "I'll wait with you then. We tried a locator spell but couldn't find her. We think she used a cloaking spell to hide from us."</p><p>Caroline hums. "Oh hold on- Yes, short, dark hair...you haven't seen her. Okay, thanks." she tosses the phone on the counter and sighs, "I think we just have to wait up for her, Jo."</p><p>Josie frowns, "Do you think it's my fault? I wouldn't leave her alone- maybe she just doesn't want my help..."</p><p>"No, I don't think that's it...she's just been upset and needs time before she's ready to stick around." Caroline says softly and Josie looks to the floor. "Well..I guess I'll just wait in my room then." she leaves and Caroline tries to find other ways to track Penelope down. </p><p>Meanwhile Josie wraps herself up in a jacket and sits on the back steps waiting for Penelope to show. There's no way she would walk back in through the front door- she doesn't want anyone to find her. When Penelope used to sneak around after curfew, Josie remembers a spell she used to climb back up to her window- after they broke up, she would sneak in the back door and hope no one heard it. </p><p>Josie waits for two hours before she needs a snack break-the kitchen is right there anyway. She grabs a snack and brings it back to her room, frustrated that Penelope still hasn't come back or at least told anyone where she is.</p><p>"Still no Penelope?" Lizzie asks when she comes back and Josie shakes her head, "Nope. I mean it's eight o'clock...I mean don't know what she could've been doing all day."</p><p>"Binge drinking?"</p><p>"Oh thanks Lizzie, that's a nice thought." Josie falls back on her bed and turns her laptop on. </p><p>"Sorry" Lizzie mumbles. </p><p>Josie sighs and sets an alarm for midnight, planning to check Penelope's room then. She watches Netflix until she's fighting sleep, struggling to keep her eyes open, or even focus on the show, because she's worried about Penelope. 

</p><p>Her alarm wakes her with a start, and she hopes it didn't wake Lizzie up. She tugs a sweatshirt over her head and wanders over to Penelope's room in her plaid pajamas and slippers. She opens Penelope's door and sighs when she sees the light on, but no Penelope.</p><p>As a last resort, Josie tip-toes down the stairs and into the kitchen to check the backyard. When she opens the backdoor, probably setting off some kind of alarm and waking her parents, she sees someone lying down on the grass. When she gets closer, she can tell it's obviously Penelope. She's wearing a flannel covered in dirt, and a loose pair of jeans. </p><p>She looks up through hooded eyes when she hears Josie walk up to her.</p><p>"Hi JoJo" she smiles and sits up, taking a sip from a bottle in a brown paper bag.</p><p>Josie sighs and sits down in the grass next to her, "Don't call me that right now, Penelope" she says and reaches to pull the bottle away from Penelope. She pours it out on the grass and Penelope pouts, "Why" she whines. </p><p>"Where have you been all day?" Josie turns to face her and Penelope shrugs, "Oh you know, around town."</p><p>"I was worried about you."</p><p>"You shouldn't."</p><p>"Shouldn't what?"</p><p>Penelope grunts and stands, "Worry about me." she slurs, "I don't want your help." she stumbles and Josie gets up.</p><p>"Well you're getting it anyway." she says and wraps an arm around Penelope to keep her standing up. </p><p>Penelope pushes her away, "Stop, Josie! I don't want your help." she insists and tries to walk away, but Josie grabs her by the shoulders. "I told you, whether you like it or not, I'm not leaving you." </p><p>"I don't like it." Penelope stumbles again, and Josie holds her up.</p><p>"And I don't care" she smirks and pulls Penelope against her to bring her inside. Caroline watches Josie pull Penelope along from the corner of the room, happy to see Penelope back; she had just checked her room herself.</p><p>"God you smell like cigarettes and an open bar." Josie cringes and Penelope smiles, "That's where I've been all day" she says singsongy tone and rests her head on Josie's shoulder.</p><p>Josie just opts to ignore that comment and pulls Penelope through the doors and up the stairs, back to her room. She sits Penelope on to her bed, and she giggles when she falls back. </p><p>"I don't want to sleep" she pouts and Josie turns and starts to pull clothes out for Penelope to change. She walks back over to Penelope and leans down to unbutton her top, but pats her shoulder and leans back, "I think you actually need a shower."</p><p>"Will you join me?" Penelope winks and Josie can't help but laugh. </p><p>"I thought you didn't want my help?"</p><p>"I changed my mind." Penelope smirks and Josie shakes her head.</p><p>"Too late" she tosses towels at Penelope, "Now go shower."</p><p>Penelope fumbles over the buttons of her shirt and looks up to Josie, exasperated. "JoJo..." she whines and Josie can't stop herself from helping her. "Let me do it" she sighs and pulls her shirt off for her, following after with the button of her jeans and pulling them down her legs. She pulls Penelope up and guides her to her bathroom. </p><p>"I'll be outside, just...just please don't come back out here smelling like cigarettes." she says and closes the door and stands outside until the shower starts. </p><p>Ten minutes pass, and Josie knocks on the door to check on her, but she doesn't hear much movement. She cracks the door open, "Penelope?" she calls, but she still doesn't say anything. Josie pushes the curtain back and sees Penelope sitting on the bottom of the bath, letting the water hit her face. </p><p>"Oh, Pen." Josie turns off the shower and starts running a bath instead, "Okay, it's okay." Josie moves the wet hair out of Penelope's face and holds her face. Penelope juts her lip out and closes her eyes. </p><p>"I was...I was okay until now. Now I'm just sad." Penelope mumbles, and Josie sees it now. Penelope was drinking to avoid talking about her mom or any of her feelings today. </p><p>"I'm so sorry Pen, I'm here now, okay? You'll be okay." Josie </p><p>Josie lets the tub fill up and reaches across Penelope for the shampoo, cupping her hands and rubbing it into Penelope's hair. She looks small, and her arms are wrapped around her body so she's sitting in a ball. Josie is glad she's letting her help her. </p><p>"You look kinda cute with all that soap on your head." Josie pulls back and wipes some bubbles on her nose.</p><p>Penelope sports a small smile and Josie shares it, before telling Penelope to dunk her head while she rinses her hands.</p><p>She comes back up and her hair is straight, her eyes glowing, and water dribbling down her lips. Josie's heart flutters just looking at how beautiful her ex is. "Stop staring, JoJo." she mumbles and wipes her face, "I can't, really." Josie grabs the conditioner and spreads it over Penelope's hair while their quiet company continues.</p><p>"Okay, dunk again." Josie says and Penelope pushes her head under the water, blowing out bubbles while Josie moves her hands through her hair to get the conditioner out. </p><p>Josie taps her head twice to tell her to pull up, but she doesn't. Josie draws her eyebrows together and pulls Penelope up herself, "Hey! Don't do that, Penelope." Josie nearly yells and Penelope cowers.</p><p>Penelope looks up at her, "I just liked being under the water. Sorry."</p><p>"You need to stop saying that if you don't mean it." Josie scolds and grabs a towel, holding it out for Penelope and looking away so she doesn't see anything Penelope doesn't want her to.</p><p>Penelope just steps into the towel and falls into Josie, dropping her head onto her shoulder. Josie wraps the towel around her and holds her.</p><p>"I need you, JoJo" she mumbles into her shirt, and Josie sighs. </p><p>"I know, and you have me." she pushes Penelope away gently and into her room, "Come on. Let's get you to bed."</p><p>Penelope sits on the bed and watches Josie grab her pajamas, and pulling her top on and buttoning it when she tosses it to her. She falls back on the bed once her shirt and underwear are on, but Josie pulls her back up from behind her, "One sec and then you can sleep, Pen." she brushes Penelope's wet hair and slowly wraps her arms around her, pulling her back into her lap. Penelope lets her body fall back and grabs at Josie's hands, sighing with content and cozying herself up to Josie.</p><p>"I love you JoJo" Penelope mumbles under her breath and Josie stills, turning to look at Penelope and seeing that she's already fast asleep. Josie couldn't have handled it if Penelope had really just said that- she almost had a heart attack.</p><p>-</p><p>Penelope wakes up the next morning and rolls over to face Josie, who's face is relaxed with a little pout while she sleeps. Her arm is still wrapped around her body, and Penelope reaches out to touch her face, pulling back quickly when Josie moves. Her big brown eyes open and flutter to adjust to the light, smiling when she sees Penelope looking at her.</p><p>"Hey" Penelope says, her voice a little scratchy because she just woke up. "Thank you for last night Josie. I'm sure I was a pain in your ass." she looks away shyly.</p><p>Josie squeezes at her hip to get her attention, and Penelope looks back at her, "Wasn't that big of a deal Penelope, I swear. I told you I'm here for you."</p><p>Penelope nods and leans up to press a soft kiss to Josie's cheek. "Do you want to get breakfast?" she asks quietly and Josie nods, "Yeah...only if you go in your pajamas with me though." she smirks and gets up.</p><p>She looks down at Penelope, who's stretching her hands above her head causing her shirt to ride up...and reminding Josie she isn't wearing any pants. Josie's eyes unabashedly rake up Penelope's body until she's looking at her hair sprawled across the pillow. "See something you like Josie?" Penelope smirks from below her and Josie raises her shrugs with a smirk of her own instead of giving her an answer.</p><p>Josie tosses Penelope her matching pants and tells her to put them on. "Would you be okay with sitting with Lizzie and Hope? Or just me?"</p><p>"That's fine with me, I guess." Penelope pulls her pants on and runs her hand through her hair.</p><p>"'Kay well come on." Josie waves her hand and Penelope runs to her bathroom, "One sec, babe" she freezes, and Josie looks at her with wide eyes, "Josie! I meant- one sec Josie..fuck." Penelope looks around the corner, which doesn't really help, and runs back in the bathroom. Josie shakes her head and laughs at Penelope freaking out, stumbling over her words- something she rarely ever does.</p><p>They sit with Hope and Lizzie over breakfast, and Penelope doesn't say much but Josie is just happy to have her there. She listens to their conversation, nodding along and chuckling at Josie's jokes.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Thx for reading :))</p><p>And I was thinking...what signs do you think Josie &amp; Penelope are? I think Penelope is probably a scorpio or maybe gemini and Josie gives me libra vibes. Lmk what you think!!</p><p>And leave a comment, I love to read them :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. 5</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Penelope takes a teaching job at Salvatore, Caroline gives her an old family photo album, and Josie hovers.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Penelope meets with Alaric that week, and agrees to take a position in the lower school. Caroline had kind of convinced her to do it, and she needs something to do anyway. All she really has to do is get along with little kids, which is easy, and teach them easy magic. She basically taught half of the witches at Salvatore magic anyway, so how hard could it be to teach a bunch of little kids some simple spells? Plus...she gets paid.</p>
<p>Josie watches Penelope step out of her fathers office. She's wearing a white button-up, and one of those ribbons she always used to wrap around her neck with her uniform. Josie is pretty sure she knows just how much she loves that particular look. Penelope seems normal, her eyes are bright as ever as she shakes Alaric's hand and turns back into the hall- she doesn't see Josie, and Josie thinks she shouldn't bother her because she looks so relaxed...But in the end Josie is curious, and follows Penelope down the hall.</p>
<p>Penelope looks around the classroom and has no idea where to start. She figures she has to make it look appealing to little kids- all colors and sparkles, things she doesn't care for. She rolls her eyes and does a few spells, decorating the classroom with stars and funny witch hats. The most annoying thing will probably be remembering all of the rugrat's names, so she throws some name tags on the desks too. </p>
<p>She bets Josie thinks she's good at sneaking up on her and spying-but she's not. "I can hear you sneaking up on me." she turns, pausing in the middle of the chalk writing. </p>
<p>Josie is pouting at her, "I was just looking for a second."</p>
<p>"Sure you were."</p>
<p>"So this is your class, then?" Josie spins around and takes a look. </p>
<p>"Yeah, I start next week." Penelope leans back on her desk while Josie looks around. </p>
<p>"So what are you teaching them?" </p>
<p>Penelope points to the board, "I was thinking just hexes and death spells for day one" she smirks and Josie giggles, looking around Penelope to look at what she wrote. </p>
<p>"What, no non-verbal spells for the little ones yet?" she teases and Penelope smirks, "Lizzie and Hope told you?" Josie sits next to her on the desk and nods, "I should probably teach you them first. It's only fair." Penelope raises an eyebrow. </p>
<p>"Uh, yeah. Someone has to challenge Hope around here besides you, it's not good for your ego." she bumps her shoulder and Penelope's head falls back with a laugh.</p>
<p>"Well true, but I think my ego is a reasonable size..."</p>
<p>Josie hums, "Of course you do." she stands and faces Penelope, "Well I should go and leave you to it...Miss Park" she winks and Penelope waves her off with a slight blush at the new nickname. </p>
<p>"Will you come back later? I think you’re probably better at entertaining little kids than I am. I'll need your help." Penelope cocks her head to the side and Josie turns at the doorway, "Yeah, I will. But I'm sure you'll be fine, Penelope." she says and Penelope nods, "if you say so" she mumbles after Josie.</p>
<p>Penelope spends the next few hours making lesson plans for the class, writing spells on the board, and running in and out of the library for spell books. </p>
<p>When Josie walks back in, Penelope is sitting on top of her desk with her legs crossed, a pen between her teeth, and her eyes focused on several books she's managing to levitate around her. Her hair is pulled back in a messy bun with some curls falling in her face, and her shirt's collar is pushed over and missing a few buttons; she looks ridiculously cute, and Josie feels the need to tell her so. </p>
<p>She knocks lightly on the door and Penelope looks around her books to peek at her, "Hey" she calls out, and with a flick of her wrist, the books are closed and piled up neatly beside her. Josie is briefly stunned, impressed with Penelope's magic even more than before. </p>
<p>"It looks nice in here." Josie looks around again, noting the added fairy lights around the board, and the desks pushed to the sides. "Why'd you move the desks?"</p>
<p>"I thought I could be the cool teacher" Penelope shrugs, "I don't know, we'll see."</p>
<p>"They'll think you're cool, everyone does. Just show them your magic and they'll flip." Josie lingers at the door while Penelope moves to the floor and pats the spot next to her, "Come on, I'll teach you a spell."</p>
<p>Josie moves to sit next to her, and they face the desk. This reminds her of how Penelope used to be. Before they got together, Penelope wooed her with her magic, sometimes she would send her little notes in the middle of the night, begging her to sneak out to the greenhouse with her, and once they were there she'd teach her all kinds of spells nobody else knew. Penelope never taught anyone else spells, at least not like she taught Josie- sure, she would help her friends with homework, but she taught Josie spells from her coven, spells her mom taught her. </p>
<p>"A non verbal one?" Josie asks, hoping Penelope will teach her. </p>
<p>Penelope looks to her with that classic smirk and Josie nearly loses her breath when she meets her eyes, Penelope just nods and looks away to the books. "Okay. So focus on those books, and we'll try to move them and hold them up like I was just doing. Won't be so hard." she explains and Josie nods, "Won't that be hard? Didn't it take you a long time to get it?"</p>
<p>"Didn't take me that long" Penelope shoots her a smirk again, "But it won't take you that long either, Jo. You're just as good as I am." She steps up and grabs a book from her desk and flips to a page, "So you want to just repeat this over and over in your head, and it should work as long as you are completely focused on the incantation. I hold them up using another spell, but for now you just try this." she sits back down and holds the book out for Josie to read.</p>
<p>"Okay" Josie traces her finger over the page. "I just...need some magic" Josie wiggles her fingers and Penelope holds her hand out for her to siphon. Penelope was never shy about sharing her magic, she found it kind of intimate-exchanging magic, and told Josie as much. She once gave Josie a necklace holding some of her magic and she still has it around somewhere but didn't feel right using it after Penelope was gone.</p>
<p>Josie focuses on the books like Penelope said, repeating the phrase over and over in her head. "Eyes open, JoJo" Penelope taps her cheek and whispers, making Josie smile. </p>
<p>"You're making me lose focus." she giggles and Penelope only shrugs. "Sorry, I guess."</p>
<p>"You aren't sorry" Josie mumbles and re-focuses on the spell. </p>
<p>Penelope watches Josie mouth the words over and over, until she brings the book up into the air, holding it there until it falls into her hands. </p>
<p>"I did it!" she smiles and turns to Penelope with the book in her hands. </p>
<p>"Atta girl" Penelope pulls her into a hug, a wide smile filling her features until her eyes crinkle. She always knew Josie was one of the best witches in this place- she was a quick learner from the second Penelope started showing her new spells, and her memory of spells was downright ridiculous; Penelope used to call her an encyclopedia. </p>
<p>"Thanks for teaching me" Josie's leans far enough away to kiss Penelope's cheek, lightly cupping her chin. </p>
<p>"I always will." Penelope's heart flutters and she has to stand to distract it. She sticks her hand out to pull Josie up, "What were you up to today?"</p>
<p>Josie could cry. This is her Penelope; teaching her spells, asking how her day was (she used to hex anyone who caused her a bad day, even doing it to Lizzie once or twice). Josie missed her more than anything, and she's so glad she's feeling well enough to act like herself. Sure, Josie knows she'll be different now, and maybe its only for a few hours, but she'll take what she can get.</p>
<p>"I just went to class and avoided my room because Hope and Lizzie were in there." Josie cringes and Penelope laughs, "They are quite a couple, huh."</p>
<p>"Yeah, even worse when they take up your room with it." </p>
<p>"Well maybe Lizzie is just making up for lost time" Penelope raises her eyebrows.</p>
<p>"What do you men making up for lost time?"</p>
<p>"I mean, I can recall you using the room for certain...things, things that annoyed Lizzie." Penelope says, winking as Josie figures it out. </p>
<p>Josie shoves her and Penelope just shrugs. "Dirty mind" Josie scolds, "I can't seem to remember you complaining." Penelope smirks again and Josie finds it almost unbearable to look at her for to long. </p>
<p>"Wanna get food?" Penelope asks, shy all of a sudden and itching the back of her head.</p>
<p>"What, now you're shy?" Josie quirks an eyebrow.</p>
<p>"Whatever" Penelope chuckles and pulls Josie along with her. </p>
<p>-</p>
<p>"Hey, Pen. You busy?" Caroline nudges her door open and Penelope looks up. </p>
<p>"No, I was just...just taking a look at my book. What's up?"</p>
<p>"Just seeing what you're doing, and I got this thing you might want to take a look at." Caroline holds out an envelope and a package. "From Belgium." she adds.</p>
<p>"Oh" Penelope thinks it over. This is definitely some kind of family photo album or a letter from her mom, and she doesn't know if she's ready for this. "Okay." she reaches out and Caroline hands them both to her.</p>
<p>"You want me to stick around?" Caroline asks and Penelope shakes her head, "No thanks, I'm fine."</p>
<p>"Okay" Caroline leans down and kisses the top of Penelope's head, "You know where to find me. 'Night." </p>
<p>"Goodnight" Penelope mumbles back as Caroline leaves. </p>
<p>She opens the package and sighs; it is a photo album. Penelope only stares at it blankly, considering opening it or just putting it off until later.The letter is clearly in her mother's loopy handwriting, and she can't stand to read it.</p>
<p>The first few pages are full of pictures of the house she grew up in; it was a big white house in Italy that had more rooms than they could even think of filling with just the two of them. The photos are of her standing outside, waving at her mom from the doorstep on the day they moves in. They stayed in this house until she was seven, and they moved to Paris, pretty much the reason for Penelope developing her rude manners-at least that's what her mom always said, anyway, she said it was her fault for raising her in such expensive places.</p>
<p>Bouncing around Europe, visiting covens with her mom, she always felt so powerful. Her mom was a strong witch, that's where she got it from; she was homeschooled since she was five- her mom brought her home to teach her magic and the basic subjects. That is until she sent her off to Salvatore when she was sixteen because she wanted her to make friends with other supernaturals instead of just friends of her mother; she hated it until she met Josie. </p>
<p>Flipping the page, she sees her and her mom holding hands in front of their old house. She tears up without realizing, flipping to another photo of them in front of the Eiffel Tower, both wearing berets and making funny faces at the camera.</p>
<p>The next photos are all similar, pictures of Penelope learning spells, one of her when she was young, surrounded by candles with her eyes closed in focus. She smiles through the tears in her eyes, her mom was always a sweet woman, never raising her voice at her no matter how many times she messed up a spell. People always wondered how her kind mother ended up with a hard-headed, sarcastic kid, but her mom never cared as long as she wasn't rude to her. </p>
<p>A knock on the door takes her out of her memories.</p>
<p>"Hey" she knew it was Josie before she spoke up, but her soft tone causes her to look up at the door. </p>
<p>Penelope wipes at her eyes, clearing the tears so they don't fall in front of Josie. "Hey" she says, her voice hoarse. "Come sit?"</p>
<p>"Yeah" Josie speaks softly and sits gingerly next to her on the floor.</p>
<p>"Family photo albums, your mom gave them to me." Penelope holds it up and scoots closer to Josie, hoping she might get the message that she needs her comfort right now. Of course Josie understands and moves closer, sitting slightly behind her and wrapping an arm around her. She looks over her shoulder as Penelope flips the page, and it's a picture of her as a toddler, dressed as a witch for halloween because her mom thought it was funny. </p>
<p>"Oh my god is that you!" Josie looks closer with a small smile and rests her chin on Penelope's shoulder, "You kind of look...the exact same" she laughs and Penelope nods. </p>
<p>"Yeah I pretty much always looked the same. You'll see." </p>
<p>Penelope quietly flips through the pages, sometimes pausing to touch a photo of her mother. Josie watches on patiently, hoping Penelope didn't open this book too soon. Seeing Penelope in such a sensitive state is still so foreign to her. She had always protected these feelings before, or at least hid them from Josie; she was always stubborn and closed off from everyone, except Josie, who still found herself only knowing what she pried out of Penelope through careful questions.</p>
<p>"This is from a trip we took to Salem", Penelope brings her out of her thoughts, "She appreciated the irony of two witches going to the place notorious for witch trials, she called it a history lesson." she laughs quietly, and Josie can tell its forced even if she is fond of the memory. "This picture is at the site of the trials and where they burned the witches." Penelope traces the photos, "Helena. That was her name, she told me it was passed down from one of the witches who survived Salem."</p>
<p>Josie hums, moving her hand gently against Penelope's back, "Tell me more about her. She sounds wonderful."</p>
<p>Penelope looks to her, joy dancing in her eyes, "you think so?" Josie nods, coaxing Penelope to continue, "She understood me like no one else did..." she flips through the book until she lands on a picture of a group, groaning already. "That's me in the ridiculously preppy outfit at some meeting with the coven. She let me be whoever I wanted to be...even if I looked ridiculous or didn't always act like I was supposed to."</p>
<p>Josie laughs, she does look kind of ridiculous, "you look adorable" she smiles down at the picture, looking over to the next one of Penelope holding some kind of grimoire, a big smile on her face. "Oh my god, this one is so cute." she looks to Penelope, who's blushing and pulling the book from Josie.</p>
<p>"So she didn't mind you were a little bully?" Josie teases, playing with Penelope's hair at the back of her neck. </p>
<p>Penelope scoffs, "Hardly a bully. I don't know, just...hard headed."</p>
<p>"You don't need to tell me twice" she smirks, "Was your mom like that too?"</p>
<p>"No" Penelope shakes her head right away, "she's, uh...was kind, really smart, and just...a good mom. She always said I got my stubbornness from my dad, but I think she secretly found it kind of entertaining."</p>
<p>Josie hums, unsure how to respond until Penelope flips the page, "Is that her? You look just like her!" </p>
<p>"Yeah, I got that a lot" Penelope smiles, somewhat bitterly, and shakes her head.</p>
<p>"I can't look anymore. It hurts now." she shoves the book off her lap, turning away and leaning against the bed with her eyes tightly shut, and Josie can only assume she's trying to keep her tears in. Josie picks up the book and closes it gently, placing it up on Penelope's bed, "That's okay" she inches closer to Penelope, reaching out to hold her hands.</p>
<p>"I have no tears left" Penelope sulks and Josie cradles her face, taking a look at her pouting before she moves to pull pillows and a blanket or two off of the bed. It's clear Penelope doesn't want to move from her spot on the foot of her bed, so Josie figures the best she can do is join her. She grabs the remote and squeezes into the spot behind Penelope.</p>
<p>Penelope doesn't relax into her at first, in fact she seems completely opposed to Josie's comfort for the first time in a while. Josie slides her hands up and down Penelope's arms to try and relax her. "Are you okay, Pen?" and Penelope finally leans back into her arms. </p>
<p>"I don't know" she breathes out, "I'm getting there."</p>
<p>"Yeah. Do you think talking about it more could help?" Josie intertwines their fingers, pleased when Penelope squeezes her hand back.</p>
<p>"I'm talking about it now, aren't I?" her tone is defensive already, and Josie backtracks before this turns into an argument. </p>
<p>"I know, I mean with Emma or something." Josie tries, and Penelope sits up and away from Josie. </p>
<p>Penelope shakes her head, and Josie sees her anger flaring up already. Josie really didn't meant to pick a fight, she thought she might try to suggest it for Penelope's own good. </p>
<p>"Did Caroline put you up to this?!" Penelope's eyes are dark and her brow furrowed, clearly not pleased with where this conversation has headed. </p>
<p>Josie takes note of Penelope's hand still in hers, she finds it nice that Penelope didn't just pull her hand away in the midst of her anger. Penelope was always combative when it came to their fights, Josie knows that well; it wasn't uncommon for her to blow up a little fight into a huge one to defend herself, or sometimes even Josie. But she isn't doing that now, she's angry, sure, but she's actively listening to what Josie says to her instead of disagreeing because she thinks she's always right like before.</p>
<p>"No, no she didn't, Pen. I'm only asking because I think so." Josie tries and now Penelope tugs her hand away. "Well stop." she says and rolls over, pulling the blankets with her.</p>
<p>"Okay. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you." Josie moves next to her and reaches out to her. To her surprise, Penelope rolls over to face her. "It's okay" she mumbles, "I'm not even upset I don't know why I get so defensive." she looks up at Josie, and Josie realizes how close they are right now. She feels her heart start to race and Penelope looks oh-so pleased with the situation that she just has to roll her eyes.</p>
<p>"Why are you so smug?" Josie moves away slightly.</p>
<p>"I'm not."</p>
<p>"Pen I'm looking at you right now."</p>
<p>The smirk on Penelope's face grows, and she sits up so her face is right in front of Josie's, "Not smug...just, happy you're here." she whispers and Josie feels her breath across her face.</p>
<p>"Oh" Josie mutters, unable to stop herself from looking down at Penelope's lips.</p>
<p>"Oh?" Penelope whispers under her breath and theres a moment where the two of them just look at each other, not a movement or a word uttered until Penelope inches closer again, pausing briefly before she leans up and presses her lips to Josie's lightly, waiting for Josie to kiss her back. She pulls back not even a centimeter to look at Josie, only able to look at her for a second before Josie's hand is on the back of her neck and pulls her back in.</p>
<p>Penelope brings her hand up to trace Josie's jaw, smiling a little when she feels Josie hum against her lips. She falls back, tugging Josie with her by the collar of her shirt when Josie pulls back.</p>
<p>Penelope pouts as her head hits the pillow and Josie scoffs and looks away, knowing she's unable to resist Penelope's pout when it's directed toward her. "C'mon, just kiss me JoJo." Penelope reaches for her face and Josie, of course, leans down to kiss her.</p>
<p>"Now you're smug." Josie mumbles against Penelope's lips and the girl below her smirks, "Yeah" she admits and presses her lips more firmly to Josie's, deepening the kiss and pulling Josie closer.</p>
<p>Josie kisses her until she's breathless, holding herself back from touching Penelope fully because she isn't sure it's right to take it any further right now, no matter how much she'd like to. Penelope kisses her way across her cheek when she pulls away and wraps an arm around Josie, pulling her down to lie next to her until their heads lay on the same pillow.</p>
<p>"stay?" Penelope whispers softly, her hand already tracing Josie's face. 

</p>
<p>"I wasn't planning on leaving"</p>
<p>"Good." Penelope rolls closer to Josie, ducking her head into Josie's neck while the taller of the two starts to run her hands through her hair.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I actually really like how this chapter turned out!!</p>
<p>P.S. I had another posie fic idea yesterday and now I can't stop writing that either so keep an eye out for it ;))</p>
<p>Thx for reading and leave a comment/kudos if you enjoyed! They make me so happy to read lol</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thx for reading!!! </p>
<p>I love how this one turned out :)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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